6. BSSE Research Paper | Asian Paints — Aishwarya Ramakrishnan and Neha Rambhia (MBA 2016)

In post-independence India in the 1950’s, the paint industry was close to non-existent; at the low end, localized regional players provided whitewash for walls while the elite imported paint from Britain such as Goodlass Walls and British Paints. Asian Paints entered the market as an economy brand, creating a market for paints in semi-urban India and built a formidable distribution network. Today, Asian Paints owns nearly twice the market share of their next biggest competitor. In this episode, two students of the BSSE course, Aishwarya Ramakrishnan and Neha Rambhia, join me to talk about how Asian Paints was able to grow and sustain their success, and what theory would predict about the company’s ambitious plans to move into the whole home décor industry — watch out, Home Depot!